Download Rationale for Submitting the Rissho Ankoku Ron

NICHIREN DAISHONIN’S LETTER OF REMONSTRATION
In the first year of the Shoka era (1257), when the reverse marker of Jupiter
was in the sector of the sky with the cyclical sigh hinoto-mi, on the twenty-third
day of the eighth month, at the time when the Hour of the Dog gives way to the
Hour of the Boar (9:00 PM), there occurred an earthquake of unprecedented
magnitude. In the second year of the same era (1258), cyclical sign tsuchinoeuma, on the first day of the eighth month, there was a great wind. In the third
year (1259), cyclical sign tsuchinoto-hitsuji, a major famine occurred. In the first
year of the Shogen era (1259), cyclical sign tsuchinoto-hitsuji, disease was
rampant, and throughout the four seasons of the second year (1260), cyclical sign
kanoe-saru, the sickness continued to rage without abating. By this time, more
than half the ordinary citizens of the nation had been laid low by death. The
rulers of the country, alarmed at this state of affairs, turned to the scriptures of
Buddhism and the non-Buddhist writings for help, ordering that various prayers
be offered. These, however, failed to produce the slightest effect. On the
contrary, famine and disease raged more fiercely than ever.
I, Nichiren, observing this state of affairs, proceeded to consult the various
Buddhist scriptures. There I discovered the reason why these prayers were
without effect and on the contrary actually make the situation worse, along with
passages of proof to support it. In the end I had no other recourse than to
compile a work to present my findings, entitling it "Rissho Ankoku Ron." In the
first year of the Bunno era (1260), cyclical sign kanoe-saru, on the sixteenth day
of the seventh month, at the Hour of the Dragon (7:00 - 9:00 AM), I handed it to
the lay monk Yadoya for presentation to His Lordship, the late lay monk Saimyoji. Thus I did solely that I might repay the debt of gratitude that I owe to my
native land.
The essence of my work, the "Rissho Ankoku Ron," is as follows. Long ago it
was said that this country of Japan would be ruled by seven heavenly deities,
five earthly deities, and a hundred kings, reigning one after another in succession.
During the reign of Emperor Kimmei, the thirteenth of the human sovereigns.
Buddhism was for the first time brought to Japan from the kingdom of Paekche.
From that time until the reign of Emperor Kammu, a period of some 260 years
that saw the reigns of twenty or more sovereigns, all the various Buddhist
scriptures were brought to Japan, as well as the six sects of Buddhism. At this
time, however, the Tendai and Shingon sects had not yet been introduced.
During the reign of Emperor Kammu, there was a young monk named
Saicho, who was a disciple of Priest Gyoho of Yamashina Temple. (He later
came to be known by the title Great Teacher Dengyo.) He made a thorough
study of the six sects that had been introduced to Japan earlier, as well as of the
Zen sect, but none of these seemed to satisfy him. Some forty years earlier, in the
reign of Emperor Shomu, a Chinese monk named Ganjin had come to Japan and
brought with him the commentaries of the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai. When Saicho
read these, he for the first time came to understand in essence the true meaning
of Buddhism.
In the fourth year of the Enryaku era (785), Saicho founded a temple on
Mount Hiei in order to insure the continuance of peace in heaven and on earth.
Emperor Kammu paid honor to the new establishment, designating it as a place
of worship where prayers should be offered to the guardian star of the ruler. He
ceased to heed the teachings of the six sects and instead gave wholehearted
allegiance to the perfect doctrines of the Tendai Sect.
In the thirteenth year of the Enryaku era (794), the emperor moved the
capital from Nagaoka to the city of Heian. In the first month, the emperor
summoned fourteen learned scholars of the six sects from the seven great
temples of Nara, including such monks as Gonso and Choyo, to the temple called
Takao-dera, and ordered them to engage Saicho in debate. These enlightened
masters of the six sects were not able to hold their own against Saicho even for a
single exchange of opinions, but shut their mouths so tightly one might have
mistaken them for noses. The "Five Teachings" of the Kegon sect, the "Three
Periods" of the Hosso sect, the "Two Storehouses" and "Three Eras" propounded
by the Sanron sect--all of these doctrines were demolished by Saicho. The
doctrines of the six sects not only were refuted, but in fact served to reveal that
the other debaters were all guilty of slandering the Law. On the twenty-ninth
day of the same month, the emperor handed down an edict criticizing the
fourteen monks who had opposed Saicho. The fourteen monks in turn drew up
a letter apologizing for the conduct and submitted it to the emperor.
Thereafter, one sovereign after another paid allegiance to Mount Hiei,
treating it with even greater deference than a filial son shows toward his father
and mother, regarding it with greater awe than the common people manifest
before the might of the ruler. At times the rulers issued edicts to it, at other times
they were obliged to give their approval to its unjust demands. We may note in
particular that Emperor Seiwa was able to ascend the throne as a consequence of
the powerful prayers of Priest Eryo of Mount Hiei. The emperor's maternal
grandfather, the Kujo Minister of the Right, for this reason submitted a written
pledge of his fidelity to Mount Hiei. Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the
Kamakura shogunate, it will be recalled, was a descendant of Emperor Seiwa.
And yet the government authorities in Kamakura, though they may or may not
be following the correct course in their administration, ignore and turn their back
on Mount Hiei. Have they no fear of the punishment of Heaven?
Later, in the time of the Retired Emperor Gotoba, during the Kennin era
(1201-4), there appeared two men, Honen and Dainichi, who in their arrogance
believed that their understanding surpassed that of all others. Their bodies were
possessed by evil spirits, and they went about deluding the people of both high
and low station throughout the country, until everyone had become a Nembutsu
believer or else was hastening to join the Zen sect. Those who continued to pay
respect to Mount Hiei became surprisingly few and lacking in ardor, and
throughout the country, the monks who were authorities on the Lotus Sutra or
the Shingon teachings found themselves ignored and rejected.
As a result, the deities Tensho Daijin, Hachiman, and the gods of the seven
shrines of the Sanno, who guard and protect Mount Hiei, as well as the various
other benevolent deities who protect the different parts of the nation, were no
longer able to taste the flavor of the Dharma. Their power and brilliance waned,
and they abandoned the country. Thus the evil demons were able to gain access
to the nation and to bring about disasters and calamities. These disasters, as I
stated in my "Rissho Ankoku Ron," were omens signifying that our country
would in the end be destroyed by a foreign nation.
Later in the first year of the Bun'ei era (1264), cyclical sign kinoe-ne, on the
fifth day of the seventh month, a comet appeared in the east, and its light shone
over the whole country of Japan. This is an evil portent such as has never been
seen before since the beginning of history. None of the authorities on the
Buddhist scriptures or the secular writings could understand what had brought
about such an ill omen. I became even more grieved and distressed. Now, nine
years after I presented my work, the "Rissho Ankoku Ron," to the authorities, in
the intercalary first month of this year (1268), this letter has arrived from the
great kingdom of the Mongols. The events that have occurred match the
predictions made in my work as exactly as do the two halves of a tally.
The Buddha left his prediction, saying: "More than one hundred years after
my passing, a ruler known as the Great King Ashoka will appear in the world
and will spread my relics far and wide." In the region of King Chao, the fourth
ruler of the Chou dynasty, the Grand Historian Su Yu made this prediction:
"One thousand years from now, the teachings [of the Buddha] will be spread
throughout this country." Crown Prince Shotoku predicted: "After my death,
when two hundred years or more have passed, the city of Heian will be
established in the province of Yamashiro." And the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai
predicted: "Two hundred years or more after my death, a person will be born in
an eastern country who will spread my Correct Law." All of these predictions
were fulfilled to the letter.
When I, Nichiren, observed the great earthquake of the Shoka era, and the
great wind and famine that occurred in the same era, as well as the major
outbreak of disease that took place in the first year of the Shogon era, I made a
prediction, saying: "These are omens indicating that this country of ours will be
destroyed by a foreign nation." I may seem to be congratulating myself on
having made such a prediction, though in fact, of course, if our country should
be destroyed, it would most certainly mean the destruction of the Buddhist
teachings as well.
The eminent Buddhist monks of our time seem to be of one mind with those
who slander the Law. In fact, they do not even understand the true meaning of
the teachings of their own sects. It is certain that, if they should receive an
Imperial command or instructions from the government authorities to offer
prayers in an effort to avert the evils that beset the nation, they would only make
the Buddhas and deities angrier than they are already, and then the nation could
not help but face ruin.
I, Nichiren, understand the steps that should be taken to remedy the
situation. Other than the sage of Mount Hiei, I am the only person in all of Japan
who does. Just as there are not two suns or two moons, so two sages are not to
be found standing side by side. If these words of mine are false, then may I be
punished by the Ten Goddesses, the ten daughters of the demon mother who
protect this Lotus Sutra that I embrace. I say all this solely for the sake of the
nation, for the sake of the Law, and for the sake of others, not for my own sake. I
will be calling upon you in person, and so I am informing you of this. If you do
not heed my advice, you will surely regret it later.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
Bun'ei era, fifth year (1268), cyclical sign tsuchinoe-tatsu, fourth month, fifth day.
To Hogan Gobo
Apr 5, 1268 Hokan-bo